Microplastics Detected in Human Brains

Syllabus:  GS3/Environment

Context

• Recent scientific studies have found microplastics in human brains, raising concerns about potential health risks and need for a Global Plastics Treaty.

What is Plastic and Microplastics?

• The word plastic is derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning “capable of being shaped or moulded.”
• Plastic refers to a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient with their defining quality being their plasticity – the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation in response to applied forces.
  • This makes them extremely adaptable, capable of being shaped as per requirement.
• The basic building blocks of plastics are monomers, which are small molecules that can join together to form long chains called polymers through a process called polymerization. 
• Microplastics: Plastics break down into their smaller units called microplastics – officially defined as plastics less than five millimetres in diameter. 
• Types of Microplastics: 
  • Primary: Manufactured small on purpose (e.g. microbeads in cosmetics).
  • Secondary: Result from breakdown of larger plastic items (e.g. bottles, bags).

Impact of Plastic Pollution

• Neurological concerns: Microplastics in the brain may cause inflammation, cognitive dysfunction, and neurodegenerative diseases.
• Soil and water contamination: Microplastics affect soil fertility and contaminate freshwater and marine ecosystems.
• Threat to marine life: Ingestion of microplastics by marine organisms leads to bioaccumulation and death.
• Transfer of Pollutants: Microplastics can absorb other harmful chemicals from the environment, acting as carriers for these contaminants into organisms and potentially leading to toxicity

What is the Global Plastics Treaty?

• It was Initiated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) under UN Environment Assembly Resolution 5/14 in 2022.
• It aims to develop a legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution.
  • It mandates a full lifecycle approach, including upstream (production), midstream (use), and downstream (waste management) processes.
• The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) is being held in Geneva from August 5–14, 2025, to finalise the Global Plastics Treaty.
  • At the heart of the treaty discussions is Article 6, which focuses on regulating plastic supply, specifically production, imports, and exports.

Way Ahead

• The detection of microplastics in human brains is a stark reminder of how deeply plastic pollution has infiltrated human health and ecosystems. 
• The Global Plastics Treaty, especially Article 6, offers a unique opportunity to tackle the problem at its source. 
• For the treaty to be effective, it must adopt ambitious, enforceable, and science-backed measures to regulate plastic production and promote a circular economy for a healthier planet and population.

Source: TH, DTE